N.C. Flower Growers' Bulletin - February, 2003 Volume 48, Number I Promoting Poaceae Lane Greer and James L. Gibson North Carolina State University Ornamental grasses typify the "New American grasses. The Southwestis interested in grasses because Garden", the term that is used to describe landscapes of their drought tolerance. Thanks to new research, that resemble meadows full of native plants. This the Southeast is now able to buy heat tolerant species new way of thinking about landscapes is leading us that will perform in the high humidity and long, dry away from regimented European-style borders and summers. Researchers at the University of Florida towards freer, more democratic forms. Many people have been conducting studies to determine the best credit the landscape architects Wolfgang Oehme and performers for the Florida Panhandle, focusing on James van Sweden with popularizing this type of plants grown in full sun and drought-like conditions. planting. In their landscapes. Oehme and Van Sweden Some of their top-rated plants included Miscanthus seek to capture the spirit of the Great Plains, full of sinensis 'Zebrinus' and 'Arabesque'. Pennisetum rolling hills and flowing grasses. alopecuroides, and Muhlenbergia capillaris. Poor performers included Calamagrostis arundinacea, Ornamental grasses have increased in popularity due Sesleria autumnalis, and Deschampsia caepitosa. In to other factors. They require very little maintenance, a study conducted at Texas A&M, researchers found are quite drought tolerant, and have very few pests or that people preferred purple fountain grass diseases. Grasses add movement and sound, height {Pennisetum) and Lindheimer's muhly and grace to gardens. In {Muhlenbergia) to big bluestem addition, there are many new, {Andropogon). Please refer to compact cultivars that can be our website, as we have links used in small landscapes and that recommend ornamental in containers. Grasses are easy grass cultivars for almost every to propagate, they can grow in region of the country. almost any soil and weather, and they need little fertilizer. Table 1 focuses on the true As an example of the grasses (those in the Poaceae popularity of ornamental family), but there are several grasses, Calamagrostis x other families of plants that are acutiflora 'Karl Foerster' was sold as ornamental grasses. chosen as the Perennial Plant These include the rushes Association's Perennial Plant {Juncus), sedges {Cyperus and of 2001 for its excellent Carex),sweet flag {Acorus),and performance over many years New Zealand flax {Phormium). in Zones 4-9. Several reputable ornamental Grasses were easy to integrate grass wholesalers have into the upper Mid-West and established themselves Great Plains states, and the nationwide. These firms have Mid-Atlantic has also developed their own marketing experiencedgreat success with programs and provide cultural N.C. Flower Growers' Bulletin - February, 2003 Volume 48, Number 1 Table 1. Selected ornamental grasses. Foliage Name Height Description and Landscape Uses Cool season. Broad gold leaf margins. Good for Northern gardens. Ground cover. Alopecurus pratensis Variegatus' 2' Blooms in spring. Cultivars preferredto species. Propagate by division in spring or fall. (meadow foxtail) Zone 4. Native to the East Coast. Warm season. Do not transplant in summer. Salt tolerant. Ammophila breviligulata (American 2-3' Propagate by division. Zone 5. 'Cape' recommended for Northern gardens. 'Hatteras' beach grass) for Southern. Native to the Prairies. Large upright grass. Plant in clumps or among perennials. Russet Andropogon gerardii (big bluestem) 5-8' color in fall. Zone 3. Arrhenatherum elatius bulbosum European native.White-striped foliage. Tolerates dry soil. Cool season grass. Species is r 'Variegatum' (bulbous oat grass) invasive. Use as an edging or groundcover. Propagate by division. Zone 4. Arundo donax (giant reed grass) Flowers persist into winter. Can be invasive. Propagate by division. Zone 6. 'Variegata' 7-12' Best as a specimen plant. Creamy-white leaves. Bouteloua (grama grass) Warm season grass native to the Great Plains. Propagate by division or seed. gracilis (mosquito grass) r Tolerates dry soil. Zone 3. curtipendula (side oats grama) 3' Drought tolerant. Reddish-purple I'all color. Best in groupings. Zone 4. Brtza media (quaking grass) 2-3' European native. Cool season. Good cut flowers. Propagateby division or seed. Zone 4. Bromus biennis 'Skinners Gold' (brome Good for Western states. Yellow variegated leaves and (lower stalks. Propagate by 3' grass) division. Zone 7. Native to Asia. Warm season. 3' pink blooms produced in early fall; change to bronze or Calamagrostis brachytricha (feather reed T grass) brown. Great as cut flowers and in containers. Propagate by division or seed. Zone 4-9. PPA Perennial Plant 2001. Cool season, but relatively heat and drought tolerant. Do not Calamagrostis x acutiflora 'Karl Foerster' transplantduring summer. Propagateby division in early fall or very early spring, using 1- 3' (feather reed grass) 2 eyes for each division. Pot up liners into quarts or gallons in late spring and keep temperatures between 55 and 75°F for at least 8 weeks. Blooms in late spring. Zone 4. Native to Southeast and Mid-Atlantic. Warm season. Versatile; looks good in many settings. Grows well in shady and sunny areas. Seed clusters are very attractive and turn Chasmantiiim latifolium (wild oats) 3-5' golden in fall. They can be used in floral arrangements or dried. Propagate by division or seed. Zone 5. 8-12' Native to South America. Good cut flowers. Recommended for the Southeast. Drought Cortaderia selloana (pampas grass) tolerant. Propagate in spring only. 'Pumila' 4-6' Compact and cold-hardy. Zone 6b. 'Silver Comet' 8' Variegated foliage has white edges and dark purple base. Zones 7b-10. Deschampsia caespitosa 'Northern Lights' Cool season. Can grow in sun. part shade, or wet areas. Use singly, in masses, or to edge. r (hair grass) Propagate by division. Zone 4. South African native. Pendulous foliage. Good for erosion control and groundcover. Eragrostis curvula (weeping love grass) 3' Propagate by seed or division. Zone 7. Native to North America. Grows best in sandy or poor soils. Reddish-pink flowers. T Eragrostisspectabilis (purple love grass) Drought tolerant. Propagates easily by seed. Zone 5. Native to the Mid-West. Reddish-pink (lowers in summer. Drought tolerant. Propagate by Eragrostis trichodes (sand love grass) 4' seed or division in spring. Zone 5. Cold-hardy, clump-forming bamboo. Propagate by division in spring and keep new Fargesia nitida (fountain bamboo) 9-14 divisions very well watered. Zone 4. Festuca amethystina 'Superba' (large blue 18" European native. Amethyst-colored (lower stalks. Zone 4. fescue) European native. Cool season. Blue-green foliage. Can be used like liriope (as a mass Festuca glauca 'Elijah Blue' r planting or to edge beds). Zone 4. Glycerin maxima 'Variegata' (manna Creamy yellow foliage. Needs wet soil. Can be aggressive. Good for containers. 18" grass) Propagate by seed or division in spring. Zone 5. Native to Japan. Yellow or cream striped foliage. Grow in sun in cool, moist areas of the Hakonechloa macro 18" country, in shade in the South. Good for containers, as groundcovers, and specimen plants. 'Aureola' (Hakone grass) Propagate by division. Zone 6. 5 N.C. Flower Growers' Bulletin - February, 2003 Volume 48, Number I Table 1. continued. Foliage Name Height Description and Landscape Uses Helictotrichon sempervirens (blue oat Native to the Mediterranean. Cool season. Blue foliage. Oat-like blooms that turn golden 2-3' grass) in summer. Prefers rich, moist soil. Zone 4. Holcus mollis 'Variegatus' (creeping soft 8-12" European native. Cool season. White striped foliage. Good groundcover choice. Zone 6. grass) Native to North America. Prefers some shade: tolerates dry shade. Propagate by seed. Hystrixpatula (bottlebrush grass) 3' Zone 4. Imperatacylindrical var. koenigii 'Red Asian native. Grown for its bright red foliage. Transplant only in spring. Propagate by 18" Baron' (Japanese blood grass) division. Zone 6. Native to Europe. Grows in almost any soil. Excellent in containers. Propagate by Isolepsis cernua (fiber optic grass) r division or seed. Zone 9. Native to the Prairies. Cool season. Short lived. Blooms in June, then goes dormant Koeleria macrantha (June grass) 1-2' during summer. Propagate by seed or division in spring. Zone 5. European native. Cool season. Blue foliage that combines well with purple and maroon. Leymus arenarius (blue lyme grass) 3-4' Drought and salt tolerant. Propagate by division. Can be invasive. Zone 4. Milium effusion 'Aurcum' (Bowies' Native to North America. Cool season. New foliage is bright chartreuse yellow. Blooms 18" golden grass) iate spring-early summer. Propagate by division. Zone 6. Miscantlius 'Giganteus' (giant To 10' Native to Japan. Blooms in late summer. Clump-forming. Propagate by division. Zone 4. miscanthus) Miscantlius sacchariflorus (silver banner To 8' Native to Asia. Warm season. Tolerates wet soil. Blooms in August. Can be invasive. grass) Native to Asia. Warm season. Clump-forming. Adaptable to any soil. Need little Miscantlius sinensis (miscanthus or eulalia grass) fertilization. Pests are miscanthus mealybug and miscanthus blight. Propagate by division. 'Adajio' 3-5' Dwarf selection: narrow leaves that turn reddish in fall: good for small gardens. Zones 6-9. 'Goldfeder' (gold feather) T Yellow variegated foliage. Somewhat difficult to propagate. Zone